The Dame and the Dragon
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: Based on Beauty and the Beast. Katara was a regular schoolgirl until one day captured by a beast. She longs to escape, until she learns the young man behind the beast. But persistent admirers, deadly gangs, and suspicion threaten to tear their love apart.
1. Prologue

**I've been wanting to do a Zutara 'Beauty and the Beast' fanfic, but I've been trying to find out how to change it up a bit and make everything work. I think I've finally got it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast**

_Once upon a time, in a land not so far away_

_A handsome prince lived in a grand castle_

_Although he had everything his heart desired, the prince was cold, selfish, and unkind_

_One cold winter's night, an old woman came to the castle, offering him a single, red lily in return for shelter from the bitter cold_

_Repulsed by her hideous appearance, the prince scoffed at the gift and turned the old woman away_

_The old woman warned him not to be deceived, for beauty is found not on the surface, but within_

_When the prince dismissed her once again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful spirit_

_The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late, for the spirit saw that he held no love in his heart_

_As punishment, she turned him into a hideous beast and placed a powerful spell on all who lived in the castle_

_The lily, that held a spell over the castle that all in there would live for eternity_

_Cursed to live forever in their horrendous forms_

…

_Unless the prince learned to love_

_And was loved in return _

_Only then, would the spell be broken_

_As days turned to weeks, weeks to months, months to years and years to centuries, the prince fell into a deep despair and lost all hope _

_For who could ever learn to love a beast?_

**I tried to change this up as much as I could…as you can see, I made the spell last an eternity instead of only a few years since that would be, well, horrible. And since I wanted to include a prince, but keep this in modern times, that made it more easier. Also, I just noticed, the beast was only like 11 when he was turned…where the heck was that boy's parents? They weren't changed with everyone else, so where were they…just wondering…anyways, I hope you liked this short beginning. Please Review!**


	2. Katara

**Here's the first official chapter! I changed some of the lyrics of the song to fit the situation, I hope I did well. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the song **_**Belle**_**.**

It was early morning, the town just brimming to life with people on their way to work and school.

Katara Mizu walked through the streets of the small town in her blue sundress and white flats, her waist long, wavy brown hair fluttering behind her. She and her grandmother had moved too a few months ago. To Katara, it seemed like a town trapped in time. Nothing exciting every happened. Katara stared up at the blue sky, spotted with fluffy white clouds, singing softly to herself:

_Little town, it's a quiet place_

_Every day like the one before_

_Little town, full of little people waking up to say_

The hum of greetings filled the air. Everyone seemed to know everyone here. Katara saw a small group of kids filing in a line in front of the ice cream truck that stopped at the corner every morning, causing little elementary school kids to beg their parents for a scoop before going to school. Katara smiled slightly as she passed them, singing:

_There goes the ice cream man with his truck like always_

_The same cones and treats to sell_

_Every morning just the same since the morning that we came to this poor provincial town_

"_Good morning Katara_," said an elderly man in front of his ancient car. It was Mr. Bumi, a slightly eccentric old man who constantly talked to a rabbits

"_Morning sir_," Katara said politely.

"_Where are you off to?_" Mr. Bumi asked.

"_The bookshop,_" Katara said, excitement in her voice. She adored reading.

"_I just finished the most wonderful story,_" she said,"_A love story between a vampire and __a girl and a-_"

"_That's nice._" Mr. Bumi interrupted, and then shouted at the light gray rabbit hopping through the grass, "_Flopsy! We'll be late! Hurry up!_" Katara rolled her eyes, laughing slightly as she continued walking.

Katara knew that the people of the town saw her as odd. She was almost constantly reading, daydreaming, or swimming in the pool at the community center, school or at her house. She heard what people said about her when they thought she wasn't listening:

_Look there she goes, that girl is strange, no question_

_Dazed and distracted can't you tell?_

_Never part of any crowd_

'_Cause her head's up on some cloud_

_No denying she's a funny girl Katara_

The small, town bookshop was within sight. The sidewalks had became more crowded with people, stopping to talk to each other on the way to their destinations:

_Hello! Good day! How is your family?_

_Hello! Good day! How is your wife?_

_I can't find, my cell phone! _

_That's too expensive._

Katara sighed heavily, singing to herself:

_There must be more than this provincial life_

"_Ah, Katara,_" said the old librarian, Mr. Pakku, as Katara walked in. She smiled at him, taking the last book she borrowed out of my purse and placing it on his desk.

"_Good morning,_" she said cheerfully,"_I've come to return the book I borrowed,_"

"_Finished already,_" Mr. Pakku said with a chuckle.

"_Oh, I couldn't put it down,_" Katara gushed, walking over to the bookshelves, scanning the titles,"_Have you got anything new?_"

"_Not since yesterday,_" Mr. Pakku said, chuckling at her enthusiasm.

"_That's alright, I'll borrow…this one!_" Katara said, plucking a purple, leather bound book from the shelves.

"_That one? But you've read it twice!_" Mr. Pakku pointed out.

"_Well it's my favorite,_" Katara said, smiling brightly at just the thought of being able to hold the book again,"_Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!_"

"_If you like it all that much, it's yours,_" Mr. Pakku said with a kind smile. Katara's ocean blue eyes widened in surprise.

"_But sir-_" she started to say.

"_I insist,_" Mr. Pakku pressed.

"_Well thank you!_" Katara said happily,"_Thank you very much!_" She left the library, reading the book and blocking out the whispers of the world around her.

_Look there she goes, that girl is so peculiar_

_I wonder if she's feeling well_

_With a dreamy, far off look_

_And her nose stuck in a book_

_What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle_

Katara smiled as she read the book, singing softly as she started walking up the steps to her school:

_Oh, isn't this amazing?_

_It's my favorite because, you'll see_

_Here's where she meets Prince Charming_

_But she won't discover that it's him, 'till chapter three_

A cheerleader and a football player stared at Katara as she passed. The cheerleader shook her head, letting out a sigh as she sung:

_Now it's no wonder that her name means beauty_

_Her looks have got no parallel_

The football player nodded and sung:

_But behind that innocent mask, I'm afraid she's rather odd_

It was obvious that Katara was branded as the "weird" girl in school. She had no boyfriend, no close friends, belonged to no clubs or sports - although she loved swimming, but never joined the swimming team. She thought the competition would ruin her love for it.

_Very different from the rest of us_

_She's nothing like the rest of us_

_Yes different from the rest of us is Katara_

Katara passed by a tall, tan boy with brown eyes and messing brown hair, talking to a blonde girl. The boy was wearing a tight, black shirt, showing off his muscles, jeans and sneakers. The girl passed him a slip of paper that he slid into his back jean pocket and gave her a smirk as she walked away. The boy turned around to watch Katara, mesmerized by the sway of her hips. His friend, a much larger boy, walked over to him, clapping him on the back.

"_Damn, that girl wanted you Jet! You're the most wanted guy in this school!_" the large boy said to the brown haired boy.

"_I know_," Jet said with a nonchalant shrug.

"_No girl alive stands a chance against your charms. No girl at all_," the large boy said, shaking his head.

"_It's true Pipsqueak,_" Jet agreed"_And I've got my eyes set on that one._" Jet nodded in Katara's direction

"_The swimmer?_" Pipsqueak asked in surprise.

"_That's the one,_" Jet said with a nod,"_I'm gonna make her mine. The quiet ones are the easiest._"

"_But she's_-" Pipsqueak tried to say.

"_The most beautiful girl in town,_" Jet said, his smirk widening as he watched Katara open her locker, a few doors down from him.

"_I know, but_-" Pipsqueak said before Jet interrupted him again.

"_That makes her the best,_" Jet said, turning to look at Pipsqueak, eyes blazing and threatening,"_And don't I deserve the best?_"

"_Well of course – I mean you do – but_-" Pipsqueak stammered nervously. Jet shook his head, nodding toward Katara as he sung:

_Right from the moment when I met her, saw her_

_I said she's gorgeous and I vowed_

_Here in town, there's only she_

_Who's as beautiful as me_

_So I'm making plans to whoo lovely Katara_

Jet walked down the hall toward Katara. Jet – the most handsome boy at school – was gushed over by every girl in school…except Katara.

_Look there he goes_

_Isn't he dreamy?_

_It's Jet! My God! Oh he's so cute!_

_Be still, my heart, I'm hardly breathing!  
He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!_

Jet struggled through the thick crowd of the hallways, buzzing with gossip and news and questions.

_Hello!_

_Pardon!_

_Good day!_

_Yes, of course!_

_Do you have the homework?_

_What lovely earrings!_

_Some pens._

_Touchdown!_

_Too much._

'_scuse me._

_I'll get the paint._

_Please let me through!_

_This girl._

_This boy!_

_Such a bitch._

_Don't talk to him!_

_You are mistaken._

Katara sighed, closing her locker door and leaning her back against it, staring up at the dreary, cream-colored ceiling she sung:

_There must be more than this provincial life!_

Jet sped up as Katara walked down the hall, singing:

_Just watch, I'm going to make Katara mine!_

People stared as Katara walked down the hall, whispering to each other. She didn't notice though, her nose in the book she had recently acquired from Master Pakku.

_Look there she goes, that girl is strange but special_

_A most peculiar girl, I know!_

_It's a pity and a sin_

_She doesn't quite fit in_

_But she really is a funny girl_

_A beauty, but a funny girl_

_She really is a funny girl_

_That girl!_

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of the day.

**Whew, that was a doozy to write. I hope you all liked it! Please Review!**


	3. Trapped

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 2! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the song **_**Belle (Reprise)**_**.**

Katara stopped by her locker at the end of the school day, getting out the books she needed for homework. A shadow over her caused her to look up and meet Jet's brown eyes.

"Hey Katara," he said with a smirk.

"Hello Jet," Katara said politely. She knew Jet's status as a player and had no interest in him whatsoever. But he didn't seem to get the hint.

In addition to being the hottest guy in school, Jet was also the leader of a gang known as The Freedom Fighters. Despite their name, they were terrifying. The rules with dealing with them, don't bother them and they won't bother you.

"So, I'm having a party this weekend," Jet said, leaning toward her. Katara caught the faint whiff of cigarette smoke on his breath.

"You're gonna be my date, right?" he asked. Katara closed her locker, turning to face him.

"Sorry, parties aren't my thing," she said before turning on her heel to leave. But Jet was right behind her. He caught up with Katara, slinging an arm over her shoulders.

"Come one 'Tara," he drawled, "If you were my date, you'd be my girl. There's girls here that would _kill _for that title"

"Not me," Katara said firmly, shrugging out from under Jet's arm. Jet leaned forward and snatched a book from her arms. The book Mr. Pakku had given her earlier that morning.

"Jet, give that back," she demanded. Jet scanned the cover, his smirk widening.

"Aren't you a little old for fairy tales?" he asked. Katara frowned, reaching out to snatch the book back, but Jet held it above his head. Katara was only 5'7 compared to Jet's 6 foot frame. She jumped up to reach her book.

"Give me a kiss and I'll give it back," Jet said. Katara stared at him for a moment, then a sly smile spread across her face.

"Okay," she said calmly. She leaned toward Jet…and kneed him in the groin. Jet groaned, dropping Katara's book, which she caught before it hit the ground. With a huff, Katara turned and continued her walk home.

* * *

"How was school?" Katara's grandmother, whom everyone called Gran-Gran, asked when she walked in the door.

"Fine," Katara said, the sung quietly to herself:

_Can you imagine?_

_He wants me to date him!_

_Me! The girlfriend of that boorish, brainless…!_

Katara stormed into her blue painted room, throwing her bookbag on an armchair:

_Me? Jet's girlfriend! Can't you just see it?_

_Me? Jet's girlfriend! His little toy!_

_No sir, not me, I guarantee it_

_I want much more than this provincial life_

Katara flopped onto her bed, staring up at the blue painted ceiling. She had only been here a few months and was already feeling trapped in this small town. She was itching for somewhere bigger and grander. Someplace…adventurous:

_I want adventure in the great wide somewhere_

_I want it more than I can tell_

_And for once it might be grand to have someone understand_

_I want so much more than they've got planned_

"Katara, are you okay in there?" Gran-Gran's voice came from downstairs.

"Yeah, just tired," Katara said, running a hand wearily through her hair, "I think I'm gonna take a swim before dinner."

"Okay," Gran-Gran said, "Don't stay out too long or you'll prune." Katara giggled at her grandmother.

"I won't," she promised. Katara got out of bed to change. Swimming usually helped calm her down anyway.

**There's chapter 2! Sorry it was kind of short, I'm having some writer's block. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. I hope you all liked this! Please Review! And MERRY CHRISTMAS!**


	4. Jet

**Sorry it took me so long to update. I got really sick this week, so I slept most of the time, but I'm much better now. Anyways, here's chapter 3! Enjoy!**

**_PLEASES READ THIS__:_ I think I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. I'll be changing the song lyrics a bit just so that they fit the story more. Also, I know this scene happens later in the movie, but it just fit in this story for it to happen now.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the songs _Gaston _or _Gaston (Reprise)_.**

Jet and Pipsqueak hung out in the abandoned warehouse that was a sort of headquarters for Jet's gang, The Freedom Fighters. A gang of delinquents, trouble makers, and kids who had been living on the street, looking for a place to call home and people to call family. Jet promised a home and family to anyone who joined…conveniently leaving out the dangerous parts. Shooting, drug deals…how else did they think he got the money to pay for food, cigarettes and beer?

Jet and Pipsqueak sat at a rickety, wooden table in the shadows toward the back, along with by two of the other members. Smellerbee, a petite but tough girl with short brown, pixie like hair, and Longshot, a tall, gangly boy that rarely ever talked. Jet wasn't even sure if he had ever heard Longshot say more than a word or two. The four of them made up the tight, inner circle of The Freedom Fighters.

Jet took a long pull from his cigarette, still mulling over Katara's rejection of him at school. No one turned down Jet and the news that Katara had spread quickly through the high school. One guy said out loud that Jet was losing his touch. That guy now has a broken nose.

Pipsqueak placed a large hand on the shoulder of his brooding friend, singing in a low voice:

_Gosh it disturbs me to see you here Jet, looking so down in the dumps_

_Every guy here would love to be you Jet, even when taking you lumps_

Jet looked up at Pipsqueak, raising an eyebrow:

_There's no man in town as feared and admired as you, you're everyone's favorite guy_

_Everyone's awed and inspired by you_

_And it's no very hard to see why_

The other gang members – except Longshot – joined in from their various places in the warehouse:

_No one's slick as Jet is_

_No one's quick as Jet is_

_No one's neck's as incredibly thick as Jet's is_

_For there's no man in town half as manly_

_Perfect, a pure paragon_

Jet allowed a half smirk to grace his face. This is just what his bruised ego needed.

_You can ask any Tom, Dick or Stanley_

_And they'd tell you whose team they'd prefer to be on_

_Everyone: No one's been like Jet has_

_A king pin like Jet is_

_No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Jet does_

Jet sat back in his chair, putting his feet on the table as his voice rang throughout the warehouse:

_As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating_

_Everyone: My, what a guy, that Jet_

_Pipsqueak: Jet is the best and the rest is all drips_

_Everyone: No one fights like Jet does_

_Douses fights like Jet does_

_In a wrestling match, no body bites like Jet does_

_For there's one as burly and brawny_

Jet flexed his muscles smugly in his tight, dark brown t-shirt, noticing how several of the female gang members stared at him with lust in their eyes.

_As you see, I've got biceps to spare_

_Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny_

_Jet: That's right_

_And any guy who see's me is overcome with fear_

_Everyone: No one hits like Jet does_

_Matches wits like Jet does_

_Pipsqueak: In a spitting match, nobody spits like Jet_

_Jet: I'm especially good at expectorating_

_Everyone: Ten points for Jet_

Jet's eyes darkened as he thought back to his past. He was only nine when someone had broken into his parent's house. His mother had shoved Jet in a closet and told him to stay silent. Jet had cracked open the closet door just in time to see a man shot his parents to death. Jet had been living on the streets since, experiencing the harsh reality of human life. He sung softly, more to himself than to everyone else:

_When I was a lad, I watched my parents die_

_At the hands of a cold blooded murderer_

_And now that I'm grow I fight to keep people like him_

_Deep six feet under the dirt_

The roaring, slightly off key, voices of the gang snapped Jet out of his past and he admired the scene in front of him as they boasted about his talents.

_No one shots like Jet does_

_Get's those chicks like Jet does_

_Pipsqueak: Then goes tromping around wearing boots like Jet does_

_Jet: I've been told many times I'm intimidating_

_Everyone: My what a guy_

_Jet!_

Jet grinned, taking another drag out of his cigarette and breathing out, admire the rings of the smoke.

"_Pipsqueak, I'm afraid I've been thinking_," Jet said with a smirk. Pipsqueak chuckled.

"_A dangerous pastime,_" Pipsqueak joked.

"_I know,_" Jet said with a shrug, "_But that whacky old coot is Katara's grandmother_. _And her sanity's only so-so._" Katara's grandmother was known for being slightly eccentric. She often babbled about the spirits of the earth and how they should all protect and respect the earth unless they want the spirits to destroy it all. People thought she was starting to lose her sanity.

"_Now the wheels in my head have been turning,_" Jet said, his smirk widening as he saw the plan play out in his mind, "_Since I looked at that loony old woman_. _See I promised myself I'd make Katara mine_. _And right now I'm evolving a plan_." Pipsqueak nodded in approval and tossed Jet a beer from a nearby cooler and they toasted as the gang kept singing.

_No one plots like Jet does_

_Takes cheap shots like Jet does_

_Pipsqueak: Plans to persecute harmless crackpots like Jet_

_Everyone: And his victory we soon will be celebrating_

_My what a guy _

_Jet!_

**So there's chapter 3! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	5. The Castle

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 4! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara came downstairs for breakfast the next day to find her grandmother already dressed with a jacket on and her car keys in her hand.

"Where are you going this early in the morning?" Katara asked, pouring herself a bowl of cereal.

"I'm going to Mrs. Yaguda," Gran-Gran said.

"Can your car make it?" Katara asked. Gran-Gran drove what was probably the most ancient car within miles of the town.

"Has she ever broken down before?" Gran-Gran asked. Katara was stumped there. Despite the car's age, it never broke down once.

"No," Katara said, perching herself on the island in the middle of the kitchen as she ate her cereal, "Do you at least have your cell phone in case you get into any trouble."

"Yes mother," Gran-Gran chuckled, kissing Katara's forehead, "I'll be back late. There's leftovers in the fridge, or you can order some Chinese or pizza, I left money on the kitchen table."

* * *

"Come on, come on," Gran-Gran mumbled as her car began to stall. She had been taking a shortcut through the woods to Mrs. Yaguda's house. With a final cough and puff of smoke from the hood, the car died. Gran-Gran groaned, turning the key and praying for the car to start, but it didn't budge. She let out a long sigh, pulling out her cell phone. But there was no reception. She got out the car, walking around, trying several times to call a tow truck but there was still no reception. Putting the phone back, she noticed some lights in the distance. A house maybe? They were within walking distance. With a final glance at her car, Gran-Gran locked the doors and walked toward the lights.

Soon the house came into view. Well, it was more of a palace than a house. Gran-Gran looked up in amazement. The castle was like something out of a fairy tale – except for it's dark gray color and scary gargoyles perched on the towers and the entry way. With a small shove, she opened the spiked black gates and walked up to the grand, dark wood doors. She knocked on the door. When no one answered after several knocks, she pushed opened the doors and stepped inside the long, dark hallway, lit by nothing but torches and candles. The dark red curtains were closed, blocking all sunlight.

"Hello?" she called out, "Is anyone home? My car broke down not far from here. I was wondering if you had a phone I could use." Her footsteps echoed down the hallway. The place looked clean. No cobwebs or skeletons that you would except in a castle, so someone must have been living here.

"Aang, no!" a hushed whisper startled her. Gran-Gran spun around, but no one was there.

"I just need a phone," Gran-Gran said, her voice shaking slightly with fear, the large dark castle was so ominoious,

"Please," she said. She turned around…and found herself face to face with a monkey. But not just any monkey. This monkey was human sized, dressed in a yellow tunic and red pants, hanging upside down by its tail so that Gran-Gran was face-to-face with its sparkling gray eyes and wide grin. The monkey had white fur and large, pointy brown ears.

"Hi! I'm Aang!" the monkey said cheerfully. Gran-Gran held a hand to her heart.

"Dear Spirits, I'm delusional," she said, "My mind is finally going." She took a few shaky steps back.

"No your not old lady," said another voice, this one a girl's. From around a dark corner appeared what seemed to be a human sized mole with black fur, dressed in a green tunic and yellow pants. She stood on her back legs, walking like a human. Gran-Gran took several steps back.

"Demons! Demons!" she shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at them. She turned to leave…and let out a blood-curdling scream. Because this time, she was facing a human sized wolf, standing like a human on its back legs, like the mole girl. This wolf had dark brown and gray fur with piercing blue eyes, wearing a blue tunic and dark blue pants. His arms were crossed over his chest.

"We can't let her go now," the wolf said, "What if she blabs about us?"

"It'll be worse if Zuko catches her," the monkey said, hoping onto the floor and, like the other two, walking on his back legs like a human.

"I-I won't talk," Gran-Gran stammered. All she wanted to do now was leave.

"The old coot will probably forget about this the minute she leaves," the mole said.

"Toph, be nice," the monkey said, walking up to Gran-Gran and shaking her hand eagerly.

"Like I said," the monkey said, "I'm Aang. This is Toph," he gestured to the mole, "And the grumpy one is Sokka," he gestured to the wolf. At a closer look, Gran-Gran noticed how young the three of them looked. Aang had a voice that sounded like he was yet to hit puberty, Toph looked like a child. Sokka seemed to be the oldest, but he couldn't have been any older than his teenage years.

Gran-Gran did the first thing she could think of. She ran. She bolted past Aang and Toph, down the hall. She heard their footsteps behind her. Yanking open a door, Gran-Gran dove into the room, which turned out to be a small closet. She pulled out her phone, thankful that she now had reception, and called Katara.

"Hi Gran-Gran, are you there yet?" Katara asked.

"Katara, I need help," Gran-Gran said quickly, "My car broke down while I took my shortcut to Mrs. Yaguda's house. I followed some lights and found this castle and went inside to ask to use a phone and now I have a talking monkey, mole and wolf after me. I know this sounds crazy sweetie but-" The door to the closet flew open and Gran-Gran screamed. This time, neither the wolf, monkey nor mole stood before her.

It was impossible to tell exactly what kind of animal this one was in the dim light, but it was massive, much taller than her and very muscular. The creature's lips parted, revealing a row of long, sharp, white teeth that glistened menacingly. The only part of the creature Gran-Gran could see clearly was it's bright, golden eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness.

"Gran-Gran!" came Katara's panicked voice from Gran-Gran's cell phone, "Gran-Gran, why did you scream? I hear growling, what's going on? Gran-Gran!" The creature's golden eyes landed on the cell phone and it smacked it out of Gran-Gran's hands. The creature's skin had felt odd. Unnaturally smooch, but also rough, like scales. The creature picked up Gran-Gran, tossing her over his shoulder. Gran-Gran struggled and screamed, pounding on the creature's back. She noticed a long, scaly green tail trailing behind the creature, who had on a red cloak and dark red pants.

"Zuko! Zuko!" the monkey – Aang, he had said his name was – shouted, swinging from the ceiling and landing on a chandelier in front of them, "She means no harm. She just needs help. She said something called her 'car' broke down." The creature turned to Aang and growled at him. Aang cowered, lowering his head, his ears drooping. The creature carried Gran-Gran down stairs into a small dim room. She heard the creek of a door and was unceremoniously thrown on the ground. She door shut and Gran-Gran saw the bars. She was in some sort of dungeon. With a final growl, the creature turned and leaving Gran-Gran behind, as she shouted and pleaded for the creature to let her out.

**There's chapter 4! As you can see, I changed the characters to animals I thought would best fit the Gaang. I was going to make them objects like in the movie, but I thought this would be a bit more interesting. I hope you all liked this chapter! Please Review!**


	6. The Dragon

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 5! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara grabbed her car keys, running out to her car. The last thing she had heard over the phone was a growl and her grandmother screaming. She knew the old forest path Gran-Gran used as a short cut.

However, Jet was waiting for her right outside her door, just about to knock.

"Couldn't wait to see me?" he teased with a smirk. Katara rolled her eyes.

"Not now Jet," she snapped, rushing past him, "I think my grandmother is in trouble, I just got a weird phone call from her."

"But I need to ask you-"

"Later," Katara shouted over her shoulder as she got into her car and sped off, leaving Jet standing on her front step.

* * *

Katara went along the path and soon saw Gran-Gran's ancient car in the distance. She parked behind it, peeking into the car and looking around.

"Gran-Gran!" she shouted, but got no answer. In the distance, she saw lights, the lights Gran-Gran must have been talking about.

Katara used the spare key Gran-Gran had given her to open Gran-Gran's car. She got the gun her grandmother always kept taped under the steering wheel just for instances like this, being stuck in the middle of the forest. The forest was known to be home to wolves and bears and whatever was near Gran-Gran when she called sounded deadly. She buried the gun in her purse and started walking toward the lights, coming toward a huge, dark gray, ominous looking castle. Katara hesitantly walked through the gates and up to the front doors. When she opened the doors, she noticed how dark it was inside. Dark red curtains were closed over the windows. The door creaked loudly as Katara closed it and she winced. This must have been the castle her grandmother talked about. Katara slowly walked down the hall, keeping one hand in her purse, on the gun.

Suddenly, a monkey came down from the ceiling, hanging upside down from its tail. Katara nearly screamed at the sight of the human sized monkey, it was even dressed in a red tunic and yellow pants. The monkey covered Katara's mouth with it's hand and held a finger to it's own lips. Katara's grip tightened on the gun in her purse.

"Are you looking for the old woman?" the monkey asked. Katara nodded.

"Come with me," the monkey said, "And hurry." The monkey swung off and Katara followed close behind, trying to contemplate what the hell was happening. Who - or what - was this monkey?

The monkey led her down stairs to what looked like a dungeon.

"Katara?" came a voice from the darkness. Katara scanned the dungeon and saw her grandmother behind the bars of one of the small rooms in the dungeon.

"Gran-Gran," she said, rushing over to her grandmother. But Gran-Gran's ice blue eyes were wide with fear.

"Leave this place," Gran-Gran whispered, "You can't let him find you. Leave."

"Who?" Katara asked. Suddenly, a roar ripped through the air. Katara spun around and gasped. Before her stood a large creature. The light was to dim for her to see it properly, except for its sharp, large teeth and golden eyes. She watched the monkey that had led her down the stairs bound back up them.

"Who are you?" the creature growled in a low, husky voice.

"P-Please," Katara whimpered, her body shaking, "Please let my grandmother go."

"She trespassed," the creature snapped.

"S-She was lost," Katara said quietly, "She j-just came here for h-help." The creature growled and Katara cowered. Just what was this thing?

"Scared," the creature growled, "You should be." The creature stepped into the sliver of light coming from a single window and Katara saw it perfectly.

It looked like dragon, covered in dark green, scales, tinged red, and with a tail trailing behind it. What Katara had thought was a red cloak turned out to be the dragon's wings, which he had folded around him as a makeshift cloak. Now with its wings were stretched out, they were least seven feet long, each. The dragon wore only a pair of dark red pants. It was almost twice Katara's size and at least four times her width. Its teeth were bared at her, it's golden eyes almost glowing. Katara noticed it's sharp claws, flexing at him size. She was pretty sure its hand could wrap around her whole body. The dragon let out a breath and Katara watched flames puff through its teeth.

"P-Please let her go," Katara stammered, her voice sounding oddly small. She could feel her grandmother's hand shaking on her shoulder.

"I'll take her place," Katara said, trying to make her voice sound stronger, "Take me in her place." The dragon's golden eyes went from Katara, to her grandmother and back.

"Sokka!" it shouted. A few seconds later, a human sized wolf walking on it's back legs came down the stairs, dressed in a blue tunic and dark blue pants.

"Let the old woman go," the dragon said, taking a key out of it's pocket and giving it to the wolf. The wolf glanced at Katara before walking forward and unlocking the door, taking Gran-Gran's arm.

"Katara, no," she cried, fighting as the wolf took her toward the stairs.

"I'll be okay Gran-Gran," Katara said, giving her a weak smile, "I'll be okay." Katara watched until Gran-Gran disappeared up the stairs, then turned toward the dragon.

"Come with me," the dragon said.

**There's chapter 5! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	7. Prisoner

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 6! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the song _Spotlight_.**

Katara met the eyes of the dragon standing before her.

"Yo, Zuko!" shouted a girl's voice behind him. The beast – whom Katara guessed was this "Zuko" – turned around. Leaning against the entryway was a human sized black mole dressed in a green tunic and yellow pants. The voice was high pitched, like a girl's and, like the wolf, it stood on it's back legs.

"At least be a gentleman and give her a room," the mole snapped, "This dungeon is so morbid and there's hundreds of bedrooms in this place." Zuko growled, rolling his eyes. He grabbed one of the torches hanging on the wall.

"What is you're name?" he asked, turning toward Katara.

"Katara Mizu," Katara said. Zuko nodded.

"Follow me," he ordered. Katara followed him, the mole girl trailing behind them.

They walked for a while, the castle eerily quite. Zuko stopped to speak to the monkey boy Katara had seen earlier. He was hanging upside down from a chandelier. Zuko said something to him and the boy nodded and swung off. While they walked up a grand staircase, the silence was broken by Katara's ringtone, _Spotlight _by Selena Gomez and the Scene. She scrambled through her purse as Zuko turned to face her, teeth bared as he growled at her.

"What is that?" he shouted at her, waving the torch dangerously close.

"My cell phone! My cell phone!" Katara said quickly. Where the hell was that damn thing, did it go through her purse to Narnia?

Finally, she found it under a tube of lip-gloss. The I. D. read _Yue_. She was Katara's partner in biology. They weren't close friends, but Katara never missed class and she suspected that Yue was suspicious of her absence. She hit connect, holding the phone to her ear.

"Katara, are you okay?" Yue asked, "You weren't in class today and you _never _miss class."

"I'm okay," Katara said, "I – I might not be in school for a while. Family emergency. I had to fly out of state today."

"Oh, I hope everything is okay," Yue said sincerely, "I'll see you when you get back then."

"Yeah, see you," Katara said, hanging up. Zuko glared at the cell phone as Katara put it back in her purse.

"What is that?" he asked, his voice still threatening, but no longer yelling.

"A cell phone," Katara said, raising an eyebrow, "Well, it's also an iPod and I can go on the Internet with it…" Katara's sentence trailed off. Zuko was looking at her like she had grown a second head.

"What the _hell _are you talking about?" piped the mole girl.

"You guys don't know what I'm talking about?" Katara asked, "What a cell phone or iPod or Internet is." The mole girl shook her head as Zuko continued up the stairs.

"If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" Katara whispered, falling in step next to the mile girl.

"Well, I was frozen at this age at twelve-" the mole started to say, but Zuko threw a glare over his shoulder at her.

"Sorry," the girl said to Zuko in an exasperated tone, "But you know I'm gonna tell her about it sooner or later, she deserves to know. Anyway, if you want to get technical, I have no idea how old I am. None of us do, the years have blurred together. I stopped counting at around 500 something or other." Zuko grunted as they stopped in front of a pair of ornate, silver doors.

"This is your room," he said to Katara, "You can go anywhere in the castle. Just stay out of the West Wing and out of my way. Aang should have already placed some clothes in the wardrobe." He went back down the hall.

"Is he always like this?" Katara whispered to the mole girl.

"Only all the time," the girl said, "I'm Toph by the way. The wolf is Sokka and that monkey is Aang. And you've met Zuko." A growl echoed down the hall.

"Roar, roar to you too hothead!" Toph shouted down the hall, and then turned back to Katara, "And I already caught your name. Katara."

"Toph," a voice called down the hall. Sokka came into view, glancing at Katara before speaking to Toph.

"Zuko wants to speak with us," he said. Toph sighed.

"Coming," she mumbled, "I'll see you around Katara." Katara nodded and watch them walk down the hall before going into her room.

She had to admit, the room was gorgeous. The dresser, wardrobe and vanity were a dark wood with intricate designs on it. The walls were painted with huge, ornate flowers of different colors, vines and leaves. Katara was surprised the paint wasn't gone entirely, but guessed that the animal residents kept up some kind of maintenance. On the right was a huge, blue canopy bed with blue velvet drapes. Katara went over to the window and pulled back the curtains…then gasped at what she saw. The window was actually a gorgeous stained glass window. The scene on it was of a ballroom, guys in old-fashioned suits and girls in elaborate ball gowns, a diamond chandelier hanging above them. The window was huge, as least three stories tall. The sunlight filtered through the glass, coloring the dark wood floor.

Katara opened the wardrobe and sighed. There were no jeans or cotton shirts inside. Instead, there were old-fashioned dresses. She closed the wardrobe and flopped down onto her bed, looking up at the canopy.

Her phone rang again, Gran-Gran this time.

"Hello," Katara said. Gran-Gran immediately went into a rant of "Are you okays?" and "How are they treating you?"

"I'm fine Gran-Gran," Katara said, "They even gave me a proper room and clothes. They're beautiful. I'll send you pictures later." Katara tried to sound like everything was all right. She didn't want her grandmother to worry and start telling people. Katara knew that the people of the town already thought Gran-Gran was crazy and this story wouldn't help.

"Why don't you escape?" Gran-Gran hissed.

"Have you seen the size of that dragon?" Katara whispered, "Maybe, if he sees I'm not a threat, he'll let me go. " She heard Gran-Gran sigh.

"Keep me updated," she said, "Is there anyplace you can recharge your phone."

"They don't even know what phones are," Katara said, "The youngest of them said she was over 500 years old." Come to think of it, Katara saw no sign of electricity anywhere. The castle was lit by torches, chandeliers or candles, not a lamp or light bulb in sight.

"Save you're battery then," Gran-Gran said, "I love you."

"I love you too Gran-Gran," Katara said softly, feeling tears prick at her eyes as she hung up.

**There's chapter 6! I hope you liked it! That Narnia purse thing was actually inspired by one of my friends who said my purse was like Narnia 'cause it's huge and I have practically everything in there. Some things go in I can't even find it again until weeks later XD Anyways, Please Review!**


	8. Dinnertime

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 7! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the song _Be Our Guest_.**

"Zuko, you should be nicer to her," Aang said from his upside down perch on a chandelier in Zuko's study. Zuko himself was standing in front of the fireplace. Sokka and Toph stood a few feet behind them.

"Zuko, maybe this is a sign," Sokka said carefully, knowing the smallest thing could set Zuko off, "Maybe she's…the one." Zuko growled, baring his teeth.

"You could at least try," Aang pointed out, "Invite her to dinner tonight." Zuko growled again.

"Quit growling and get moving," Toph snapped, "If we have any chance at escaping this curse, we should take it." Zuko let out a long breath.

"Fine," he grumbled before walking out the door.

* * *

Katara was asleep when Zuko opened the door to her room, after she had not answered when he knocked. He slowly walked over to her. She had fallen asleep on top of the covers, no even changing out of her clothes.

Zuko took the chance to really look at her. She was beautiful. Smooth, mocha colored skin, long, wavy dark brown hair and gorgeous ocean blue eyes. Her plump lips were parted as she breathed lightly in her sleep. Almost against his will, he reached out a paw to brush a curl from her face. Katara murmured something in her sleep, turning over so that her cheek brushed against Zuko's paw. Zuko gasped at the contact. It had been hundreds of years since he felt human skin and her skin was as soft as skill. He knew he was taking a risk, but couldn't help brushing his knuckles against her cheek.

Katara's eye fluttered open…and she screamed, scrambling off the bed and away from Zuko.

"W-What are you doing?" she stammered from her spot across the room.

"I-I was wondering if you wanted to come for dinner," Zuko said.

"That doesn't answer my question," Katara said, touching her cheek, "We're you touching my cheek…_while I slept?" _Zuko looked down, avoiding her gaze.

"Do you want dinner or not?" he growled under his breath.

"N-No," Katara stammered. She was hungry, but wanted to be nowhere near Zuko at this moment. Zuko just shrugged.

"Fine," he sad before leaving, slamming the door a bit harder than necessary. Katara sank to the ground against the wall, shaking. She touched her cheek where Zuko's scaly paw had been a few seconds before. But why did he touch her so gently?

Katara crawled back into bed, snuggling under the covers. All sh wanted to do was go home.

She must have fallen asleep again because someone shaking her shoulder awaked her.

She peeked over the covers to see the monkey boy – Aang, Toph has said his name was – staring down at her with a wide smile and sparkling gray eyes.

"Hi! I'm Aang!" he said cheerfully, "I thought you might be hungry. Zuko's asleep so me and some of the other servants prepared some dinner for you. And we have a surprise! Come one!" Before Katara could even respond, Aang had grabbed her hand and led her out the room and down the hall. They went down a set of stairs to a pair of grand red doors, each with a gold dragon on them. Aang pushed open the doors to a dark dining room. He sat Katara in an elegant, dark wood chair at the head of a long, dark wood table.

"Wait here!" he said. He climbed up the wall, disappearing in the darkness. Suddenly, the chandelier above the table lit up, Aang hanging upside down from it from his tail as he began to sing, swinging back and forth:

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Put our service to the test_

_Tie your napkin around your neck Cherie_

_And we provide the rest_

Katara jumped slightly as a napkin was tucked into her shirt. Toph grinned at her before backing away.

Suddenly, the other servants came bursting in from a set of double doors across the room, each carrying a plate of some kind of food Katara's eyes lit up at the sight and smell of the delicious food. Like Aang, Toph and Sokka, these people were animals. Monkeys and wolves in addition to tigers, lions, birds, owls, cats and countless others. The birds and owls flew around the room, lighting candles and torches while the others placed food on the table.

_Soup du jour, hot hors d'oeuvres_

_Why we only live to serve_

_Try the gray stuff, it's delicious_

_Don't believe me, ask the rest of us_

_They can sing, they can dance_

_After all miss, this is like France_

_And a dinner here is never second best_

Katara giggled, watching the servants sing and dance as they served the food. For the first time since entering the castle, she actually felt happy.

_Go on and fold your menu_

_Take a glance and then you'll _

_Be our guest_

_Oui our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Beef rangout_

_Cheese soufflé_

_Pie and pudding en flambé_

_We'll prepare and serve with flair a culinary cabaret_

Aang swung down to land beside Katara, putting his hands on her shoulders.

_You're alone and you're scared_

_But the banquet's all prepared_

_No one's gloomy or complaining_

_While the flatware's entertaining_

Katara smiled at the performance taking place in front of her. The room was now fully lit and looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

_We tell jokes, I do tricks_

_With my fellow candle sticks_

_And it's all in perfect taste_

_That you can bet_

_Come on and lift your glass_

_You've won your own pass to _

_Be our guest_

_If you're stressed_

_It's fine dining we suggest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

The owls and birds dimmed the lights slightly, keeping the chandelier over Katara and Aang bright as he sung somberly:

_Life is so unnerving, for a servant whose not serving_

_He's not whole without a soul to wait upon_

_Ah, those good old days when we were useful_

_Suddenly those good old days are gone_

_Hundreds of years we've been waiting_

_Feeling so hopeless lately_

_Fearing that forever, like this we will be_

_Most days we just lay around the castle_

_And be fat and lazy_

Suddenly Aang's bright smile was back as he crawled up the wall, the chandeliers lighting up again as Aang swung along them, causing the diamonds on them to clatter like bells:

_And you walked in an upsy-daisy_

Toph grinned, surveying the service of the food as she sung:

_It's a gift, it's a guest_

_Thanks a lot and I'll be blessed_

_Wine's been pouring_

_Thank the Lord_

_I've had the napkins freshly pressed_

_With dessert she'll want tea_

_And my dear that's fine with me_

_While the birds are all a-flying_

_We'll give you some fine dining_

_This is cold, this is hot_

_Heaven sakes, is that a spot?_

_Clean it up, we want the company impressed_

_We've got a lot to do_

_Is it one lump or two?_

_For you our guest_

Everyone joined in, dancing and singing and serving. For a moment, Katara forgot exactly where she was, her eyes lighting up the candles around her as she watched the spectacular performance:

_She's our guest_

_She's our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest! Be our guest!  
Our command is your request_

_It's been years since we've had anybody here and we're obsessed_

_With your meal, with your ease_

_Yes, indeed, we aim to please_

_While the candlelight's still glowing _

_Let us help you, we'll be going_

_Course by course_

_One by one_

'_Till you shout, enough I'm done!_

_Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest_

_Tonight you'll prop your feet_

_But for now, let's eat up_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Be our guest_

_Please be our guest!_

Katara clapped enthusiastically.

"That was…amazing!" she gasped, "Thank you so much!"

"Well eat before it get's cold," Toph said.

"Well join me," Katara offered, "There's no way I can eat all this by myself." The servants looked surprised for a second.

"That's a surprise, Zuko never let us eat with him," Toph said. They all hesitantly sat down.

"What exactly happened to all of you?" Katara asked as they began to eat.

"Hundreds of years ago, Zuko was a prince," Toph said, digging in, "A selfish, bratty one at that. This old woman came and offered him a red lily in exchange for shelter from the cold. Zuko turned her down not once, but twice. Turns out, the old woman was an enchantress and she put this spell on him and everyone in the castle. We'll remain like this forever until Zuko learns to love and be loved in return. We haven't even aged since that day." Katara's eyes shot up in surprise.

"Zuko's not like that anymore though," Aang said quickly.

"Yeah, now he's just grumpy," Sokka pointed out with a mouthful off food. Katara forgot her troubles for a moment as she spoke with everyone, even meeting a few of the others. A bunny named Bumi, a bird names Suki, a dog named Teo and many others.

When they all ate to their full and dispersed, Katara suddenly felt awake.

"Is it okay if I explore the castle?" she asked.

"As long as you stay out of the West Wing," Toph warned, "Last time someone went in there…he never came out." Katara's eyes widened in horror.

"Kidding," Toph said, "Zuko just doesn't like anyone in the West Wing, so stay clear of it." Katara nodded and walked out. Toph leaned over to whisper to Sokka, "They _did _find Haru after his run in with Zuko at the West Wing, didn't they?" Sokka thought for a moment before stating, "Ummm…no, I don't think so. "

**There's chapter 7! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	9. The Attack

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 8! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara wandered through the castle, admiring the old artifacts around. There were old pictures, knight armor and various vases and other things.

Katara wasn't sure how far she had gone when she reached a huge, ornate set of blood red doors with dragons for handles. Curious, she pulled the door open and tiptoed inside.

The inside was a mess. Even in the dim light, Katara could see that the room looked like it had been torn apart. Curtains were hanging in shreds, several pictures had large, claw marks in them, and furniture was torn and turned over, stuffing bleeding out. Katara walked over to one of the larger pictures, holding up the torn parts of the painting, trying to tell what it was.

It was a painting of a boy, maybe 17 or 18. He had pale skin, shaggy black hair and bright, gold eyes. He was dressed in royal looking red robes.

A faint, red-gold glow caught her attention. She walked farther into the room and saw what was probably the only piece of furniture still intact in the room. A small, wooden table, on top of which was a red lily, enclosed in a glass dome. The lily was upright, levitating right off the table. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Katara carefully took the dome off the flower and slowly reached out a hand to one of the soft petals. The lily itself gave off a red-gold glow.

A ferocious roar startled Katara and in a swift movement, Zuko swept by her, grabbing the dome and placing it back over the lily. He looked at Katara, eyes blazing like fire.

"What did I tell you about coming into the west wing?" he growled, standing at full height – well over six feet tall – and spreading out his wings.

"I – I'm sorry," Katara stammered, tumbling backward. She fell over an upturned table, landing on the floor. Zuko threw the table out of the wall, bearing down on Katara.

"I TOLD YOU NEVER TO COME HERE!" he roared, flames slipping through his teeth. Katara scrambled backwards, terrified.

"I didn't realized this was the West Wing!" she cried, trying desperately to make her way through the mess and to the door.

"GET OUT!" Zuko roared, "GET OUT!" Finally reaching the door, Katara bolted down the hall and to the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Aang asked from his upside down perch on a chandelier. Zuko's roar echoed through the house, shaking the paintings.

"Question answered," Toph piped from a dark corner.

"I can't stay here in anymore," Katara said, her voice shaking as tears slipped down her cheeks. She ran outside, following the path to her car and reached in her pocket for the keys.

A low growl behind her startled her. But this wasn't Zuko's low, husky growl. This one was much more primal. She spun around and a pack of wolves slinked from the shadows of the trees. Katara quickly got into her car, just before the wolves pounced. They jumped on and shook the car as Katara desperately tried to start it, but the car refused to start.

"Come on, come on," Katara said frantically. Suddenly, the window next to her shattered and a wolves muzzle was inches from her face, snarling and snapping. Katara screamed, scrambling into the passengers seat. She curled up into a ball, praying for the wolves to go away, but the car continued to shake from their strength and the growls never ceased.

Suddenly, a louder, more familiar roar ripped through the forest and the wolves ran toward it. Zuko emerged from the darkness and Katara watched as he single handedly took on the pack.

"Zuko!" she shouted as the wolves piled up on him. But he hit them away, flinging the largest on into a tree. The wolf whimpered and ran away with a limp, the other's following.

"Katara," Zuko said, looking through the broken window at her shaking form. She sat there, frozen from what she had just witnessed. Zuko examined the window, not sure how to open the door. So instead, he ripped the door off its hinges.

"Come," he said, extending a paw, "There's bound to be more." But Katara just stared with horror filled, ocean blue eyes.

"Katara," he said, in an unexpectedly soft voice, "Come." Katara whimpered, shaking her head, tears starting to fall down her cheeks.

"I could have died, I could have died," she whispered. Zuko sighed. He walked around the car and yanked off the passenger side door, picking up Katara bridal style in his arms.

"You're hurt," he murmured, his gaze at a spot on her arm. Katara looked down and noticed a bleeding cut running from her elbow to her wrist. The glass must have cut her when the wolf broke her window.

The sight of blood was all Katara needed to see to start sobbing. She had never experienced something so terrifying in her life. She could have died tonight…if Zuko hadn't saved her.

"Shhhh," Zuko said softly, wrapping his wings around her as he made his way back to the castle, "Shhhh, it's okay Katara. You're okay. I'll protect you."

**There's chapter 8! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	10. Stories

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 9! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Aang, Toph and Sokka were waiting for Zuko and Katara when the two of them walked through the door.

"What happened, is she okay?" Aang asked, hopping down from a chandelier.

"Aang, get a cold rag, Toph, see if we have anything to bandage her arm," Zuko ordered, "We'll be in my study." Katara curled into Zuko's warm embrace. He seemed to radiate a sort of warmth that enveloped her like a warm blanket.

Zuko nudged open the door t his study and sat down, holding Katara in his lap. Aang came in a few seconds later with a rag. Zuko gently cleaned Katara's wound. She had been hiding her face in his scaly chest, but turned slightly to watch Zuko work. He tended to her with such care, not expected from someone like him.

Top came in a few minutes later, holding a roll of cloth.

"I found this in the infirmary." Toph said, handing it to him. Zuko carefully wrapped Katara's arm, tearing the cloth with his claw.

"Better?" he asked. Katara nodded, brushing a hand over her wound.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Zuko just grunted, and then after a few seconds mumbled, "You're welcome."

* * *

Katara searched through the wardrobe the next morning. Zuko had invited her for breakfast. Well, actually he knocked on her door and mumbled, breakfast is ready without even opening it.

Katara had called Gran-Gran earlier. She and Gran-Gran agreed that Katara would call every morning and night and keep her phone off the rest of the day in order to save the battery.

Katara pulled out a red, velvet dress with elegant gold swirls. She shifted through the old fashioned shoes and found a cute pair of low heel, pointed red boots. After checking herself in the mirror, she went downstairs. Zuko was already eating. The utensils were extremely small in his large paws, but he used them expertly.

"Good morning," Katara chimed.

"Morning," Zuko grumbled. One of the car servants came in, placing a delicious looking omelet in front her.

"Thank you," Katara said. The servant smiled.

"You're welcome my lady," the servant said before going back into the kitchen. The silence in the dining room was almost stifling. Katara took a bite of the omelet – which was delicious by the way – and glanced up at Zuko. She caught him watching her and he quickly looked down at his own food.

"So," Katara said slowly, "Um…thank you for the clothes, they're beautiful." She said in an attempt to make conversation. Zuko nodded, glancing up again.

"Red looks nice on you," he murmured. Katara blushed as red as her dress. Did Zuko actually just give her a compliment?

"Ummm, thank you," she said. The silence fell again, the only sound being the scraping of utensils on plates.

"So what are you doing today?" Katara asked. Zuko shrugged.

"Read," he said simply, "Write."

"You write?" Katara said.

"I've chronicled my life during this curse," Zuko said, not taking his eyes off his plate.

"Really?" Katara said, genuinely interested, "Could I…read it some time?" Zuko finally glanced up at her.

"I doubt you would want to read the dark inner workings of my mind," Zuko mumbled.

"Are you kidding, those are the best kind of stories," Katara said, a slight smile on her face, "Just look at Edgar Allen Poe."

"Who?" Zuko asked.

"Oh, I forgot," Katara said, "You're not really up to speed here on the outside world." They finished breakfast and Zuko stood up.

"Come with me," he said. Katara raised an eyebrow. Zuko gave her what Katara thought was actually… a smile.

"You wanted to read my stories," he said, "Right?"

* * *

Katara was curled up in one of the armchairs of Zuko's study, the first journal he had started in her hands. The words were enchanting, reaching out and grabbing her attention. She was reading his first ever entry. Well, actually, Zuko had pulled up a chair beside her and was reading it to her. The handwriting was sloppy and nearly illegible since Zuko wasn't used to his huge paws yet.

"_I don't know what to do,_" Zuko read, "_That damned witch has placed this curse upon me. I shall not ever go outside side. The people would run at the sight of me. Or worse, I'll be hinted like the animal I am. Am I forever cursed to be trapped inside this castle? How can I find love when I can't go outside? Who can love me in such a hideous form?_

_Everything is difficult. Utensils are too small in my hands and writing is near impossible. My strength is too much for me to handle and so much has broken under even my most gentle touch. I often stumble over my own feet – if these heinous claws can even be called that. My anger is uncontrollable, I have already set five rooms alight._

_The walls close in closer every day. I fell like I can't even breathe. I long to feel the sun, see the blue sky. But I'm doomed to be a prisoner of darkness."_

Katara listened as he read several stories. This was one of her favorites so far:

"_The months have blurred together,_" Zuko read, _"Or has it been years? How long have we been here? Memories are slipping. What does the sun feel like? What does the sun look like? What does __**human skin**__ feel like? The darkness grips my heart and drags me down into the depths of my own hell._

_Small things are becoming easier though. Eating, writing, walking. I'm learning to control my strength. But these things are nothing compared to the freedom I yearn for._

_Maybe I should get used to this. Become a prince of darkness. We have lived like this for so long, I think I have forgotten just how to __**live**__."_

Katara let her head hang upside down off the arm of the chair, her long hair brushing against Zuko's leg.

"I think that's enough for today," Zuko said, closing the leather bound journal.

"One more," Katara begged, clasping her hands together. Zuko chuckled, a low sound that vibrated from his chest. It was the first time Katara heard him make any noise close to a laugh.

"You said that eight stories ago," Zuko said. He stood up and placed the journal back on the bookshelf.

"More tomorrow?" Katara begged, batting her big blue eyes at him. Zuko gave her a smile – the second one of the day – and nodded.

"Sure," he agreed.

**There's chapter 9! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	11. Snow

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 10! Enjoy!**

_**PLEASE READ THIS:**_** Someone pointed out to me that there are some plot holes in the story. Trust me, these plot holes will be filled as the story goes on.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara lay in her bed that night, her mind reeling. Listening to Zuko's stories had been interesting, but one thing stuck out in her mind. He had to fall in love and be loved in return in order to break the curse. Is that why he was keeping her prisoner, in hope that she would fall in love with him?

Then again, Zuko had made no advancements toward her. He showed no more interest in her than a friend. Whenever they ate together, they sat on opposite sides of the table and made small talk. Whenever they passed each other in the castle, they would just nod or give a simple, "Hello." The most time they ever spent together was when Zuko read to her and even then, Zuko always kept his hands to himself and barely glanced up from the pages.

But what really scared Katara was how much she didn't mind being in the castle. She was actually starting to enjoy it. She usually spent the day with Aang, Toph and Sokka as they showed her around the castle.

* * *

Katara woke up the next morning, noticing the light was unusually bright coming through the window. Her eyes adjusted and widened at the sight of snow on the ground outside her window. Her day was instantly brightened, she loved snow.

Katara skipped downstairs in a blue dress and matching flats. Zuko noted her mood.

"You're happy," he said simply.

"It's snowing!" Katara said happily, thanking the aardvark that had served her food, "Do you want to go out in it later?" Zuko shrugged.

"I don't leave the castle," Zuko said, "None of us do. Except, well, when you were attacked."

"Why not?" Katara asked, "No one comes up here. My grandmother ended up here by taking her secret path, which is how I knew it. Come on, it'll be fun."

"Zuko doesn't know the definition of fun," Toph teased as she walked by the dining room. Zuko glared at her.

"Please," Katara asked, "You need to have some fun once in a while." Zuko sighed and Katara could have sworn she saw a small smile cross his lips.

"You'll need a warmer coat," he murmured.

* * *

So half an hour later, Katara was in a thick, dark gray fur coat with matching boots and hat and gray gloves. Aang, Toph and Sokka were having a snowball fight while Zuko stood near a tree, watching. Katara walked over to him.

"Come Zuko," she said, taking his paw in her hand, "Let's make a snowman."

"Snowman?" Zuko asked, confused.

"It's easy," she said, "Just make a ball and roll it in the snow." She gathered a ball in her hands and showed him.

Over the next few minutes, they worked together on the snowman. Zuko even went inside to get a hat, scarf and carrot nose. Katara stood back and watched him work. Singing quietly to herself:

_There's something sweet, and almost kind_

_But he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined_

_And now he's dear, and so I'm sure, I wonder why I didn't see it there before_

At first, Katara thought Zuko was nothing but a mindless beast and he would keep her locked in her room forever. She didn't expect his kindness, even if it came with aloofness. Grinning she walked over to him and plucked a pebble from the bunch he had collected in his paw and helped him put a smile on the snowman. She flashed him a dazzling smile as she helped him work. It was the first full smile Zuko had seen on her. Zuko watched Katara, thinking to himself:

_She glanced this way, I thought I saw_

_And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw,_

_No it can't be, I'll just ignore_

_But then she's never looked at me that way before_

Zuko noticed that Katara no longer showed fear around him. Even when she touched him, she didn't shudder at the feeling of his scaly skin. Most of the servants were still scared of him after these hundreds of years.

Katara went behind the snowman to tie the scarf around his neck. She watched Zuko as he worked a the buttons, thinking:

_New and a bit alarming_

_Who'd had ever thought that this could be_

_True, that he's no Prince Charming_

_But there's something in him that I simply didn't see_

Katara smirked, bending down to pick up a snowball. When Zuko wasn't looking, she threw it, hitting his shoulder. Zuko looked up, looking confused for a second, then threw one back at her. Soon, the two were in a huge snowball fight.

Toph, Aang and Sokka had stopped their own fight and watched the two of them.

_Toph:__ Well who'd have thought_

_Aang:__ Well bless my soul_

_Sokka:__ Well who'd have known_

_Toph:__ Well who indeed_

_Aang:__ And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own_

_Sokka:__ It's so peculiar_

_Toph, Aang and Sokka: __We'll wait and see a few days more_

_There may be something there that wasn't there before_

_Sokka:__ You know, perhaps there is something there that wasn't there before_

_Toph:__ There may be something there that wasn't there before_

Toph, Aang and Sokka watched as Katara snuck up on Zuko from behind, jumping on his back and wrapping her arms tight around his neck. Her laughter rung through the forest like bells as Zuko allowed her to wrestle him to the ground. She sat on his stomach and punched her fists the air, shouting, "VICTORY!"

And then they heard something they hadn't heard in hundreds of years. Zuko laughed. Not just a chuckle, but a full, belly laugh that echoed through the trees and even startled a group of birds from their roosting place.

**There's chapter 10! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	12. A Secret

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 11! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

After their little snowball event, Katara and Zuko began spending more time together. He told her about his old life while she told him what had changed over the years.

"So you can call anyone from anywhere in the world on this?" Zuko asked, turning Katara's cell phone over in his paws.

They were in his study, Zuko sitting in a large leather chair behind the dark wood desk and Katara sitting on the edge of the desk.

"Yup," she said.

"And what is this…Internet?" he asked. Katara thought how to explain it.

"It's like…a book. You can search for anything on the Internet. You can also play games and buy stuff without even going to the place. For instance, I could buy a shirt online and get it delivered to my home in as little as a day."

"In my time, even packages from neighboring kingdom would take days to come," Zuko said.

"Well we have planes now," Katara said. Zuko tilted his head curiously.

"Planes?" he asked. Katara giggled.

"They're…like big metal birds, but controlled by humans. They're really fast and fly in the sky. They can take you halfway around the world in just a few hours." Zuko nodded in interest. Katara learned about his life – princess, royal balls, grand clothes.

"What happened to your parents?" Katara asked. He noticed sadness in Katara's eyes.

"My mother died when I was young," he said, "She got very sick and there was nothing the healers could do to help her. My father and younger sister were killed by an assassin." Katara's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"I'm so sorry," she said. She reached out a hand and put it on top of Zuko's paw, which rested on top of the desk.

"It's okay," he said softly, "What about you?"

"My mother died when I was young too," she said, "Someone was trying to rob our house. My dad was away and it was just she and I. She tried to stop the man. She told me to hide in the closet upstairs. I saw everything from there. He stabbed her to death." Zuko gently tightened his grip around Katara's hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Katara gave him a small smile.

"I still have my dad," she said, "But he's in the Marine's, so he's away a lot."

"Marine?" Zuko asked. So Katara proceeded to explain to Zuko the concept of the Marine's, President, television and who is Elmo.

* * *

Katara explored the castle some more after lunch alone. Zuko had said he needed to do something.

After a few hours, she returned to her room. She opened the door to find something on her bed. A beautiful dress. Off the shoulder, blood red with royal blue ruffles down the back of the skirt and ice blue jewels along the trim of the neckline and sleeves that ran down to the front of the skirt in intricate swirls. Next to the dress laid a pair of elegant, silk, royal blue gloves that probably went up to her elbow. On top of the dress was a note in Zuko's messy handwriting.

_Wear this to dinner tonight. I have a surprise for you._

_-Zuko_

"Oh, finally, you're back," Toph said, "It's almost dinnertime. Come on, we've got to get you all pretty." Joined by the bird-girl, Suki, a black furred rabbit-girl named Onji, and a white owl-girl named Song, Katara got ready. Suki helped her into the dress while Onji helped her pick out a pair of red heels, sapphire tear drop earrings and a beautiful gold and sapphire necklace. Katara brushed her hair into gentle waves.

"Is that still good?" Katara asked, glancing at a box full of what looked like make up that Toph bought in.

"The upside to this curse," Song said, "Everything here is frozen in time. Notice how the candles never burn low and we always have food? Sure, occasionally one of us leaves to hunt, but it helps that nothing goes bad."

"What about the paint in here?" Katara asked, "It's all faded-"

"Almost time for dinner," Toph announced loudly, "And since you're the only one here with opposable thumbs, I'll let you deal with this," Toph said, pushing the box towards Katara. She pointed out make-up for eyes, lips and cheeks. Katara choose a dark blue eye shadow, red lipstick and dark pink blush.

"You look beautiful!" Suki gushed. Katara looked at herself in the mirror.

"But it's missing something," Song murmured, tapping her beak with a wing. Then her eyes lit up. She plucked two white feathers from herself and two brown feathers from Suki.

"Ouch, you could have warned me!" Suki snapped. Song ignored her and went over to Katara. She carefully twined the feathers into her hair as a hairpiece.

Katara looked at herself in the mirror and grinned.

"Wow," she murmured, "I look…wow."

"Well, let's go see Zuko's jaw drop," Toph chuckled. She led Katara out the door to the grand staircase.

"Wait" Toph said. A few seconds later, Zuko appeared across the staircase and Katara's eyes widened. Instead of his usual dark red pants and makeshift wings-cape, Zuko was dressed in a royal looking red jacket with gold trim and buttons and matching pants. Instead of using his wings as a cape, he kept them folded in at his side.

"Go," Toph whispered, giving Katara a slight shove. Katara stumbled a bit, grabbing the railing to the staircase as she walked down. Zuko followed her lead and they met halfway. Zuko bowed and Katara giggled.

"Don't laugh at my curtsy," she said, doing quite a sad curtsy and stumbling slightly. Zuko grabbed her arm to keep her from falling and chuckled. He then held out his arm and Katara looped hers through it as they descended the staircase together.

Toph watched them walk into the dining room, smiling to herself as she sung:

_Tale as old as time_

_True as it can be_

_Barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly_

_Just a little change_

_Small to say the least_

_Both a little scared_

_Neither one prepared_

_Beauty and the Beast_

Dinner was already prepared and it was the grandest one Katara had had since her stay at the castle. Everything was delicious. Katara and Zuko talked and laugh and it was the happiest Katara had been since she had been at the castle.

After dinner, Zuko led Katara into the ballroom. It was gorgeous. The walls were gold with ornate designs and gold, dragon shaped pillar lined the walls. The ceiling was a painting of different color and shapes of dragons and fire. A huge chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling.

Zuko placed one paw on Katara's waist and took Katara's hand in her other.

"I'm warning you now, I can't really dance," she said, holding out her skirt. Zuko smiled at her.

"I'll lead," he said. A few servants started playing instruments as Toph sung.

_Ever just the same_

_Ever as surprise_

_Ever as before_

_Ever just as sure_

_As the sun will rise_

_Tale as old as time_

_Tune as old as song_

_Bittersweet and strange_

_Finding you can change_

_Learning you were wrong_

Toph couldn't help but smile as she watched them dance. Never had she seen Zuko so happy. Maybe, just maybe Katara could…

_Certain as the sun_

_Rising in the east_

_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Beauty and the Beast_

_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Beauty and the Beast_

Zuko kissed Katara's hand as the song ended. They danced through a few more songs and at one point, Katara even laid her head on Zuko's chest. They danced in a comfortable silence for a while.

"Katara, are you happy here…with me?" Zuko asked hesitantly. Katara smiled.

"Yeah, I am," she said softly. She felt Zuko's paw gently stroke her back.

"If I let you go," he said, "If I let you be free…would you come back to visit us? Visit me?" Katara looked up in surprise. Was he really going to let her go?

"Of course," she said, and she meant it. She had made friends here. And Zuko…well…

"I can com after school," she said, "And weekends. I can even stay over some nights." Zuko smiled down at her, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

"You are free," he murmured, "I apologize for keeping you here so long." Katara threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Thank you Zuko!" she squealed, tears pricking her eyes. Zuko hugged her back.

"I'll stay the night," she said, "And go tomorrow. Gran-Gran has been worried sick." Zuko's smile widened, seeing her so happy.

They continued to dance and talk until Katara started yawning.

"Looks like someone's getting tired," he teased. Katara giggled. To her surprise, Zuko lifted her bridal style in his arms.

"I'll carry you," he said. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart as he walked her upstairs. He gently laid her on her bed since she was already asleep, and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight Katara," he murmured in her ear before leaving.

* * *

The early morning rays woke Katara. She groaned slightly, rolling over and noticing she was still in her dress. Actually, she had never thanked Zuko for the dress. Well, better late than never, right? She got up and went to Zuko's study, he was usually in there.

She pushed open the large wooden door and peeked inside. Zuko was nowhere to be found…but a picture on Zuko's desk piqued her curiosity. Of a girl. Biting her bottom lip nervously, Katara slipped into the room and looked at the picture. It was of a girl. Not a girl from Zuko's time, her clothing was too modern. Katara would say the picture was taken around the late 1980's, maybe even early 1990's. Her clothes were all black. She had pale skin and long, black hair with two buns on either side of her head. Clipped to the picture were several other pieces of paper. Katara unclipped the picture to see a letter. On the back of the picture in Zuko's handwriting was 'Mai', probably the girl's name. The letter was also in his handwriting:

_Mai,_

_You know how bad I am with words. I've never been well at expressing myself. Yet, you know me better than most of my companions here._

_My appearance did not disturb or frighten you, to my great surprise. You are the first person to treat me like a real person._

_What I feel for you, I have never felt it before. Mai…I love you. And I hope you can return my affections. I do not love you for the sake of breaking the curse, but truly from my heart. I never have and never will feel like this about anyone else. You are the only person I wish to be with._

_Sincerely,_

_Zuko_

Katara felt tears pool in her eyes. Zuko had been in love with another girl, not long before herself? Why did Katara feel so…jealous? So hurt? So _betrayed_?

The third picture was what shocked her. A picture of Mai, sitting on a bed in a vaguely familiar room. And then Katara saw it in the picture. The stained glass window of the ballroom scene. The window in _her _room. But the walls were bare.

Katara flipped through the rest of the pictures. They were of the girl painting the walls. Painting the flowers, vines and leaves that now adorned them.

Zuko had given Katara this girl's old room! Was she meant as just someone to replace her?

"Oh, you're up," Zuko's voice said from behind her. Katara spun around to see Zuko standing in the doorway. Tears were streaming down her face by now and Zuko noticed.

"What is wrong?" he asked taking a few steps toward her. Katara held out the pictures.

"You left this on your desk," she said, her voice wavering. Zuko's eyes widened in horror.

"Katara…" he said slowly.

"Was I meant to replace her?" Katara asked, suddenly angry, "A means to break the curse?"

"No!" Zuko said.

"Do you still love her?" Katara asked. Zuko opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"Oh my God you do…" she said softly, "And I thought…" Katara chocked back a sob.

"Katara, please, let me explain," Zuko said, walking toward her again.

"Stay away from me!" Katara shouted, "All this time…and I thought…" She took a deep shuddering breath.

"I told you I'd leave in the morning," she said. She had all she needed. Her car keys and phone were always on her, now tucked into the front of the dress. She shoved passed Zuko...ran through the castle past several bemused servants…out of the grand doors and to her car.

**There's chapter 11! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	13. Tears and Trouble

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 12! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara ran into her car, battling with the skirts of her dress as she tried to get into the car. She jammed the keys into the ignition and speeding off. She made a U-turn, heading for home.

Katara came crashing through the door of her home, hair a mess and make up smeared and streaked from her crying. She shut the door, pressing her back against it and sliding to the floor, sobbing.

Gran-Gran came rushing down the stairs to see what all the noise was.

"Katara?" she asked, rushing to her granddaughter's side. She gently pried Katara's hands from her face to see her tear stained face.

"Dear, what happened?" she asked, "How did you escape? Did he hurt you? Where did you get this dress?"

"I thought…" Katara sobbed, "I thought he…" she broke down into tears again. Gran-Gran helped her up and to her room. She wet a rag and gently wiped the make up off her face. She then brushed the tangled out of Katara's hair and laid out a fresh pair of blue silk pajamas for Katara to change in to.

"I'll make you dinner," she said before leaving. Katara changed, and then curled up under the covers in bed. H

"Katara, someone is here to see you," Gran-Gran called up stairs a few minutes later. Katara slipped into a pair of fuzzy blue slippers, pulling her hair up into a ponytail and went downstairs. Jet was leaning against the doorframe, grinning.

"Where have you been beautiful?" he asked. Katara stopped at the bottom stare, glaring at him.

"I'm not in the mood Jet," she snapped, sitting on the bottom step. Jet closed the door and walked toward her.

"Yue told me you have a family emergency," he said, walking toward Katara. She just nodded, avoiding his gaze.

"But your grandmother had a different story," Jet said, "She said that demons had taken you." Katara inwardly sigh.

_Gran-Gran! _She thought wearily. She truly loved her grandmother, but sometimes she wished Gran-Gran would just keep her mouth shut about demons and spirits, most of the town thought she was crazy.

"She tried to rally people to save you," Jet said, "But no one believed the old coot." Katara remained tight lipped.

"Nice shoes," Jet commented, "And jewels." Katara looked down and noticed she had never changed out of the red heels and – touching her ears and neck – noted she hadn't taken off the jewels Onji had found for her either.

"I-I was at a party," Katara said, "I just got home a few minutes ago."

"A party during an emergency?" Jet asked, tilting his head curiously.

"Everything's fine now," Katara said quickly. Jet leaned down, touching the necklace around Katara's neck.

"You never see jewels like this these days," he said, "Vintage. Probably very valuable. And you wore these to a party?" Katara felt tears threaten to fall from her eyes. Was Jet trying to get her to crack?

"Where were you Katara?" Jet asked softly, kneeling down to her level. She cast her eyes down, trying to fight back sobs. Jet placed a hand on her chin and gently lifted her head. His brown eyes were suddenly soft and full of worry. Katara cleared her throat.

"Family emergency," she said firmly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "Like I said."

"Where?" Jet asked.

"Alaska," Katara said, "My grandmother's family is from there and we still have relatives. A drunk driver hit my cousin, Kaneta. He was in the hospital and unconscious for days. We didn't think he would make it, but he's getting better. When I left he was conscious and talking." Katara was quite proud of herself for the story she had fabricated. Jet raised and eyebrow at her.

"Why don't you let me talk to her then?" Jet asked with a sickly sweet smile, "I want to see how she's doing and send my condolences."

Okay, Katara hadn't thought of that.

"Nice story Kat," Jet said with a chuckle. He grabbed Katara's chin painfully hard, forcing her to look into her eyes.

"Where were you?" Jet asked firmly. Katara frowned at him.

"Family emergency," she said slowly, "Alaska." Jet's eyes blazed with anger.

"Stubborn girl," she snapped, letting Katara go, "Something happened in that forest. Something you're not telling me." Katara kept her mouth shut.

"What's in you hand?" Jet asked. Katara looked down. Throughout everything, she hadn't noticed Mai's pictures and Zuko's note firmly grasp in her right hand.

"Nothing," she said quickly, "Junk."

"I'll throw it out for you," Jet said, holding out a hand.

"I've got it," Katara said, "I'm a big girl, I can throw out my own trash." Jet's hand shot out and took the pictures from her. He held them out of her reach, flipping through them. He was over 6 feet tall and Katara had no hope of grabbing them from him. He stopped at a certain picture. One Katara hadn't seen. She hadn't gone through them all.

This picture was of Zuko. In fact there were several. And the other's too. Aang, Sokka, Toph, Song, Onji, the other servants. Jet went through the pictures.

"Looks like I have all the proof I need," he said with a grin.

"Jet, it's nothing," she said, "It's Photoshop. A project I'm working on for class." Jet looked down at Katara, and then rolled his eyes.

"Here," he said, giving her the pictures and note, then crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're hiding something," he said, "And I'll find out sooner or later." He left and Katara let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

A knock on her window startled Katara from her slumber that night. She pulled back the pale blue curtains to see Aang hanging upside down from a gutter. She opened the windows and he swung in.

"Aang, what are you doing here?" she hissed.

"You need to know the truth," Aang said, "I saw what happened with you and Zuko, I was hanging off the chandelier in front of his study. Katara, Zuko did love Mai. She was the first girl he loved in hundreds of years and the only person not scared at him. See, even some of the servants are terrified of Zuko. But his appearance didn't even faze Mai. She treated him like a normal person and that was all he ever wanted, for someone to accept him despite his appearance. One day, Zuko went to Mai – I had been swinging from the chandeliers when I saw this. Mai had read Zuko's note and as shaking her head. See, she didn't love him like that. She left her room and bumped into Zuko. She told her she didn't love him and couldn't stay in the castle anymore. Next morning, she disappeared. We haven't seen her since. Zuko was crushed and went into a depression so deep, we feared he would never get out of it. And then you came along and Katara, whenever he looked at you, I saw a spark in his eyes that was never their when he looked at Mai. He truly loves you Katara. You have to come back to the castle, Zuko is worse than ever. He stays in his room all day, he's not sleeping. He's never been this bad." Katara bit her bottom lip nervously.

"He wasn't trying to replace her with you," Aang said, "He loves you for you. Mai may have treated him like anyone else, but she was dull and passionless. Remember that little dance number we did for you during your first dinner at the castle…she hated it and made that clear. I can tell that Zuko loves your spunk, your energy. He loves how you're so passionate about everything. The night he took you prisoner, he confided in me how surprised he was that you offered yourself in your grandmother's place. He expected you to try to escape that night and was shocked when you didn't. Mai was also a prisoner, she had trespassed into the castle and Zuko feared she would tell our secret. She tried multiple times to escape before she really got to know Zuko. We never even told her the full story of the curse…Katara, is that the dress you wore at dinner?" Aang's eyes landed on the dress at the foot of Katara's bed.

"Yeah," Katara said, "I kinda just ran out without changing…Aang, what's wrong?" Aang's gray eyes had widened in horror.

"Oh no," he mumbled, "No, no, no, this is bad."

"What?" Katara asked, confused, "What's wrong?"

"Katara, the curse also had a condition," Aang said, "To keep us safe. Being around an eternity, someone might come to hurt us if they knew about us. Anyone who meant us harm would not be able to see the castle. Where we are would just look like another part of the forest. They could walk around as much as they want to and not see us…unless something is taken from the castle. If any item cursed in our time came in contact with the outside world, where time moved on, the protection would be broken. Us servants and Zuko didn't count, we had to leave to hunt. But the protection would be broken if anything was taken like a figurine, a sword…a dress." Katara gasped in shock.

"So now…anyone can see the castle now?" Katara asked. Aang nodded.

"We're in danger, so much danger…" Aang said, "Only if the curse is broken…everything will be set right. The enchantress said:

_Only when the curse is broken then_

_Will you be part of the world once again_

"Katara, do you love Zuko? Aang asked quickly. Katara started slightly at his sudden question.

"Y-Yes," she said, slightly shocked that she had said it. She couldn't believe she had finally admitted it. But after she started to get to know Zuko…she slowly but surely fell for him.

"He needs to know that," Aang said, "We need to get you back to the castle." He bent down in front of Katara.

"Climb on my back," Aang said. Katara did so, wrapping her arms tight around Aang's neck. He leapt out her window, speeding toward the castle.

**There's chapter 12! I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	14. Times Collide

**Thanks for the great reviews! Here's chapter 13! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, Beauty and the Beast or the song _The Mob Song_.**

After leaving Katara's house, Jet walked deep into the forest where the rest of his gang, the Freedom Fighters, were waiting for his orders.

"Pipsqueak, you sure what you saw?" Jet asked. Pipsqueak nodded.

"I was had been wandering through the woods and got lost when I saw Katara. She drove off on this path." Pipsqueak said, kicking the dirt path they stood at…the path which bore the tire marks of Katara's car.

"She was dressed in this huge, old looking gown and crying," he continued, "She looked like a girl out of one of those old black and white movies. The all of a sudden, this huge castle appeared out of nowhere. I swear there was forest there before. But when she left, it just popped up. And then this huge thing – it looked like a dragon. Flew into the sky and let out this huge roar. It sounded sad though." Jet nodded.

"I think we should investigate-" Jet started to say, but a sound in the forest made him hold up a hand to silence the Freedom Fighters. It was the sound of two voices.

"Aang, how can you be lost?" Katara's voice hissed.

"I've never been this deep in the forest," said a high pitched male voice, probably this Aang, "I'm a vegetarian, so I never hunted with the others. It's a miracle I made it to your house." Katara let out an exasperated sigh.

"We have to warn Zuko and the others," she mumbled, "I need to break the spell before anyone finds them." Jet smirked as he spotted Katara's figure come into view. And she was accompanied by someone else. A…monkey? A human sized, clothed, walking monkey?

"It has to be somewhere around here," the monkey mumbled. The monkey could talk too?

The Freedom Fighters stayed quite and Katara and Aang didn't notice them until they were feet apart. Katara started as Jet stepped out from the shadows.

"Katara," he said, his smirk widening, "Who's your friend?"

"Aang run!" Katara shouted. Aang tried, but Pipsqueak grabbed him and Aang's tiny body was no match for Pipsqueak's large girth and strength.

"So you were hiding something," Jet said smirking, "I know all about you're secret little castle. And apparently a dragon?"

"Zuko," Katara whispered in shock, wondering how Jet knew all this.

"Zuko?" Jet said, "That's his name. A mindless beast has a name."

"He's not a mindless beast!" Katara defended, "He's kind and gentle and…" Katara's mind wandered to the hours Zuko spent reading to her and the surprise he had set up for her the night she left. The way his large arms had held her against him…she had never felt so…_certain_. At that moment, she knew she belonged in Zuko's arms. Jet raised an eyebrow at Katara. He noticed the wistful look in her eyes and let out an incredulous laugh.

"You're in love with that monster!" Jet spat.

"He's not a monster!" Katara shouted. Jet scoffed.

"Please," he drawled, then sung in a low, menacing voice:

_The beast is a danger to our families_

_He'd come after them in the night_

"_No!_" Katara protested. But Jet ignored her:

_We're not safe 'till his head is mounted on my wall. I say we kill the beast!_

The Freedom Fighter's agreed enthusiastically:

_Kill the beast!_

_We're not safe until he's dead_

_He'll come stalking us at night_

_Set to sacrifice the people to his monstrous appetite_

Jet's voice rang clear above the others:

_He'll wreak havoc on our town, if we let him wander free_

_So it's time to take some action boys_

_It's time to follow me!_

"Bring them!" Jet sneered, glancing at Aang and Katara. A boy, Longshot, grabbed Katara's arms roughly and shoved her forward. Despite his skinny body, Longshot was unusually strong and Katara's struggled to escape were useless as they marched forward, Jet singing menacingly:

_Through the mist, through the woods, through the darkness and the shadows_

_It's a nightmare, but it's one exciting ride_

_Say a prayer, then we're there, at the drawbridge of a castle_

_And there's something truly terrible inside_

_It's a beast, he's got fangs, razor sharp ones_

_Massive paws, killer claws for the feast_

_Hear him roar, see him foam_

_But we're not coming home, 'till he's dead!_

_Good and dead!_

_Kill the beast!_

Katara finally kicked Longshot in his groin, causing the boy to fall to the ground in pain.

"_No!_" she shouted defiantly,"_I won't let you do this!_" Jet grabbed her arm roughly.

"_If you're not with us, you're against us,_" he snapped,"_Where's the monkey?_"

"_Get your hands off me!_" Aang shouted, struggling in Pipsqueaks grasp.

"_We can't have them running off to warn the creature!_" Jet said, casting Pipsqueak a malicious smirk and Pipsqueak nodded knowingly. His large fist connected with Aang's head and Aang fell limp in his arms, out cold. Katara gasped in horror.

"_Let us go!_" she shouted at Jet. But before she could even blink, Jet punched and she fell unconscious to the ground.

_We'll rid the town of this beast. Who's with me?_

The Freedom Fighters shouted in agreement, leaving an unconscious Katara and Aang behind as they sung:

_Light the way!_

_Heads held high!_

_Screw your courage to the sticking place_

_We're counting on Jet to lead the way_

_Through a mist, through a wood_

_Where within a haunted castle_

_Something's lurking that you don't see everyday_

_It's a beast, one as tall as a mountain_

_We won't rest, 'till he's good and deceased_

_Sally forth, tally ho!_

_Grab your gun! _

_Here we go!_

_We're the Freedom Fighters, you should know!_

"_We'll lay siege to the castle and bring back his head!_" Jet shouted.

_

* * *

_

Katara didn't know how much time had passed when she finally came too. Aang was lying next to her, groaning as he stood and rubbing his head. Katara could hear shouting in the distance.

"_I have to warn Zuko,_" she said, tears shimmering in her eyes as she thought of what might happen to Zuko and everyone else in the castle,"_This is all my fault. Oh Aang, what are we going to do?_"

"_Now, now,_" Aang said, patting Katara's shoulder comfortingly,"_We'll think of something._"

* * *

The voices of the Freedom Fighter's echoed through the forest:

_We don't like what we don't understand_

_In fact, it scares us_

_And this monster is mysterious at least_

_Bring your guns!_

_Bring knives!_

_Save the town, yes we will try!_

_We'll save our town and our lives!_

_We'll kill the beast!_

_

* * *

_

Sokka and Toph were in the sitting room. Sokka leaning against an armchair, his tail twitching in agitation while Toph sat on the ancient rug in front of the fireplace. All day, they tried to cheer up Zuko, or at least make him eat. But Zuko remained locked up In the West Wing, staring out the window as he sat next to the red lily.

"_I knew it, I knew it was foolish to get our hopes up,_" Sokka said, shaking his head.

"_Maybe it would have been better if she'd never come at all,_" Toph muttered. Voices outside the castle caught the attention.

"_Could it be?_" Sokka said, hope tinging his voice as he and Toph rushed to the window.

"_Is it her?_" Toph asked, her unseeing eyes darting widely. But her ears told her the truth. These voices were low, rough and menacing. Nothing like Katara's soft, bell like voice. And these voices chanted about killing a beast.

"_Invaders!_" she shouted

"_Encroachers!_" Sokka shouted. But how had they found the castle, the spell should have protected them. Toph heard Sokka take in a sharp breath.

"_Katara!_" he shouted, remembering seeing Katara run past him in tears, still in the gown she had worn to dinner,"_She left with the dress! The protection spell is broken!_ _Warn Zuko. If it's a fight they want, we'll be ready for them. I'll gather the others."_

_

* * *

_

"_Take whatever treasure you can find_," Jet said as they stormed through the castle gates, "_But remember, the beast is mine!_"

* * *

Sokka gathered the other servants. They grabbed any weapons they could find and gathered at the front door, ready for battle as they sung:

_Hearts ablaze!_

_Banners high!_

_We go marching into battle_

_Unafraid, although the danger just increased_

They could hear the Freedom Fighter's singing just outside the door:

_Ready now! _

_Sing a song! _

_Here we come, we're fifty strong_

_We Freedom Fighters can't be wrong_

_Let's kill the beast!_

_

* * *

_

Together, the Freedom Fighter's threw their weight against the heavy door to get it open.

* * *

"_Ummm…Zuko-_" Toph said slowly as she entered the room.

"_Leave me in peace,_" Zuko snapped.

"_But Zuko, the castle is under attack,_" Toph said, "So cut the emo boy crap and come help!" Even from the West Wing, located at the highest point in the castle, Toph could hear the chanting:

_Kill the beast!_

_Kill the beast!_

_

* * *

_

The servants held their weight against the door in hope the Freedom Fighters would give up, but they were relentless and the wooden door was starting to crack form the combined weight.

"_This isn't working,_" Sokka snapped

"_Sokka! We have to do something!_" Suki said, worry clear in her eyes. Sokka thought hard, then it hit him.

"_Wait, I know!_" he said, then whispered his plan to the others over the continued chant of:

_Kill the beast!_

_Kill the beast!_

_

* * *

_

"_What should we do Zuko?_" Toph asked, growing impatient with Zuko's attitude.

"_It doesn't matter now,_" Zuko said sadly,"_Just let them come._" Toph let out a large huff and stormed downstairs to help the others. The chanting was louder than ever:

_Kill the beast!_

_Kill the beast!_

_Kill the beast!_

_

* * *

_

The sound of splitting wood echoed through the castle as the doors flew open.

**There's chapter 13! Whew, this song was a doozy to edit, especially the kind of language used in the original is certainly not what teenagers would see these days. I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	15. On Top of the Castle

**Here's chapter 14! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara was on Aang's back and they raced to the castle. It was easy to find now. The sounds of gunshots, clashing metal, screams, growls, roars, caws and shouts echoed through the forest and within minutes, they were there.

The grounds were a battlefield. Aang stayed in the shadows of the trees, keeping Katara safe from the violence.

"I need to get to Zuko," Katara said urgently. Aang scanned the sky and saw what he was looking for. A green dragon with red wings, flying in the sky. Zuko.

"Hold on tight," Aang said as he swung through the trees, latched onto the side of the castle, and began the ascent upward.

* * *

Zuko could hear the battle raging downstairs, but couldn't bring himself to join in the fight to save the castle. Without Katara…what was the point? It was Mai all over again. He would never find someone to love him and break the curse…

"Come on out beast!" a voice called through the room. Zuko heard footsteps and turned in time to see a tall, tanned boy with brown eyes and messy brown hair, dressed in a dark green shirt, blue pants – he vaguely remembered Katara telling him they were called "jeans" – and brown boots. He held in his hands an L-shaped, shiny, black metal object. Katara had told Zuko about this too. It was a gun. The boys sneered at Zuko, who ran out onto the balcony and took to the sky. No way was he letting this obnoxious little human kill him, no matter how he felt now.

Zuko heard the loud _POP! _sound each time Jet shot at him, but he couldn't get a good shot. He climbed on top of the tower, struggling to shoot Zuko out of the sky. A heavy rain had started and Zuko knew he wouldn't be able to fly like this for long with all the rain and wind.

And then Zuko saw it. Aang, with a blue clad figure on his back. Aang let the figure down on the balcony of the West Wing and Zuko knew who it was immediately. Katara.

She grabbed something from the table in the room – it looked like an ornament – and threw it at Jet. It hit him in the head, 'causing Jet to tumble and roll limply down the roof, stopping right at the edge. Zuko swooped down in front of Katara. She was soaked from the rain, but her ocean blue eyes shone brightly.

"You came back…" Zuko said in disbelief, stopping right in front of her. He slowly reached out a paw and cupped Katara's cheek. She smiled, leaning into his touch.

"Of course," she whispered with a smile, "I promised I would, didn't I?" Zuko gave her a small smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, "About Mai. I should have told you earlier-" Katara placed a finger on Zuko's lips.

"It's okay," she said softly, brushing her fingers against Zuko's scaly cheek, "Aang explained everything. All that matters is that we're together again." Zuko smiled…and then a loud _POP! _Followed by Zuko's anguished roar shattered the moment. Zuko spun around, holding his side. Katara saw on the ground what had hit Zuko. A bullet, deflected by Zuko's hard scales. Jet leapt on Zuko's back, knife in hand. Katara watched helplessly as they struggled. Finally, Jet managed to slip the knife under a scale and pierce the soft flesh underneath…right at Zuko's heart. Zuko let out a pained growl and Jet cackled. Zuko flailed and struggled as Jet stabbed him.

"STOP!" Katara shouted, "JET, PLEASE! STOP!" But Jet didn't listen. He moved for another hit, but lost his grip on Zuko's scaly shoulder, slippery from the rain. With one more flail from Zuko, Jet was thrown off his back and into the ragging battle below. He would surely die before he even hit the ground.

Zuko felt to the ground, panting heavily. Katara rushed over to him turning him onto his back. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she saw the blood on Zuko's body.

"Katara," Zuko panted, wincing in pain.

"Shhhh," Katara soothed, stroking his face gently, "It's okay, everything will be alright." Her voice shook as she doubted her own words. Zuko shook his head.

"At least I got to see you," he breathed, "One last time."

"Don't talk like that!" Katara shouted, "We'll get you help. Zuko please, don't leave me." Zuko reached up a paw to thread though Katara's hair.

"I love you Katara," he said softly. A sob ripped form Katara's throat.

"Zuko," she sobbed. She leaned down and gently pressed her lips to Zuko's scaly ones. The kiss lasted for only a moment, but it felt like an eternity.

Katara pulled back as Zuko let out a breath, his eyes closing. His paw slipped from her hair and fell limp to the ground.

"Zuko," she whispered, her body shaking. No...he couldn't be…

"Zuko open your eyes," Katara pleaded, "Zuko please, wake up." She collapsed onto his chest, her tears mingling with his blood.

"Zuko…" she sobbed, "I love you." She didn't know how long she laid there, sobbing, but a light out of the corner of her eyes caught her attention. And another. Katara looked up and saw that the rain falling was no longer water, but diamonds. Diamonds that shattered when they hit the ground and the pieces swirled around the castle. From inside the room, Katara saw the red lily glow. The shimmers from the diamonds mixed with the red glow as the scene around them dissolved…

**Evil cliffhanger…I'm diverting from the original ending a bit ^-^ I hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	16. Finale

**Here's the final chapter! I know, three chapters in one day, I'm on a roll! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or Beauty and the Beast.**

Katara opened her eyes groggily. The sun shone right in her face and she pulled up the comforter of her bed to block out the light-

WAIT A MINUTE! HOW THE HELL DID SHE END UP IN HER BED?

Katara shot up in and surely she was in her room at home. But the battle…and Zuko…and the others…

Had it all just been a dream?

"Katara, are you ready for school yet?" Gran-Gran shouted upstairs, "Zuko is here to pick you up!" Zuko! Katara opened her bedroom door and shot downstairs. She stopped at the licing room when she saw someone sitting on the couch. A young man, about 17 or 18, with pale skin, shaggy black hair and bright gold eyes. He was dressed in a red button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow, revealing a tattoo of a green dragon with red wings on his right arm. He wore a pair of dark jeans and black sneakers. He looked so familiar. When Katara came in, he looked up and smiled. A smile Katara knew all to well.

This was the same young man in the painting she had seen in the West Wing. And that smile…Zuko's smile…

"Are you going to school in your PJs?" Zuko teasing voice came out of the young man's body. Slowly, Katara walked toward him. She sat on the coffee table across from him. Hesitantly, she reached out a hand and brushed it against the smooth, pale skin of his cheek. Not scaly or green but smooth as silk and pale as moonlight.

"How?" was all she whispered. Zuko took the hand on his cheek in his own.

"The spell," Zuko said, "Aang told me that he told you how it worked." Katara nodded and recited:

"_Only when the curse is broken then_

_Will you be part of the world once again."_

"It's like we were never under the spell," Zuko said, a grin adorning his face, "Me, Sokka, Toph, Aang, everyone. Our lives are now how they would be if we lived in this time, not under a curse. We have parents and go to school…and I have a Facebook page." Zuko gave her a smug smirk at the last comment and Katara couldn't help but laugh, she was so elated.

"But Jet?" she said.

"Dead," Zuko said quickly, "No magic can resurrect the dead. And his little gang is dispersed, there are nothing without him." Katara stared at him in disbelief.

"And as you can see, the enchantress left me a little reminder of the curse," Zuko said, brushing his fingers along the dragon tattoo.

"What about Gran-Gran?" Katara asked.

"She remembers all that happened," Zuko said, "But Toph came by earlier and explained everything to her. My past, the curse…" Zuko's thumb brushed against the back of Katara's hand.

"Us," he said softly. Katara giggled.

"Us," she repeated, "I like the sounds of that." Zuko chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind Katara's ear.

"I love you Katara," he said so sincerely it bought tears to Katara's eyes.

"I love you too Zuko," she said. She leaned forward and their lips met in a loving, passionate kiss. Gran-Gran walked past the living room, smiling as she saw the kissing couple and sung softly:

_Certain as the sun_

_Rising in the east_

_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Beauty and the Beast_

_Tale as old as time_

_Song as old as rhyme_

_Beauty and the Beast_

**THE END! I hope you all liked it! Please Review!**


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